More to Life
by beautifullife92
Summary: While Michonne and Daryl are on a run, they save a young girl from being brutally murdered by her father. After being taken back to the prison she falls into a deep depression that nobody can seem to get past. Yet Daryl, being able to relate to her horrid past, is determined to get through to her and prove that there's more to life than just pain. Daryl/OC
1. Peace Interrupted

**Hello everyone! This is my first Walking Dead fanfiction. Just a small story that's been rattling in my brain and I decided to write it out and publish it. If it's any good and gets decent reviews, I'll continue it and complete it. I hope you guys enjoy it! Next chapter will be up late tonight/tomorrow :)**

* * *

It was a rather cold day at the prison when Michonne decided to make a last minute run. She had been restless all night and it seemed like she'd been confined to the prison for far too long. So the moment she saw the sun beginning to rise, she didn't waste any time. She gathered up her weapons and headed down stairs to see if a list had been made, though she doubted it'd only been two days since they last went out. But alas, there was one item written on there in neat handwriting. _"Rocker for Judith(optional)"_ it said. Michonne smiled, knowing that it was Beth who'd requested that item. Since she'd grown closer to the young woman and the little baby, she decided that she would do her best to honor her request.

Michonne stepped outside and breathed in the fresh air. It was a gorgeous morning and the sun was just beginning to rise. Her favorite time of the day. Even the walkers were scarce that morning. She only counted about 5 or so and they were scattered. Though she knew there was greater threats looming over them. She had been in the prison for a few weeks now and had proven her loyalty but she knew he was still out there. The Governor had been keeping a dangerously low profile but she knew sooner or later he'd be back and she'd be waiting for them.

"Mornin'" A familiar voice said, bringing her out of her thoughts. She turns around to see Daryl walking over.

"Mornin'" she greets with a faint smile.

"Goin' on a run?" he asks.

"Mmmhmm."

"Anything important?"

Michonne shakes her head then hands him the list. "Nah, just a request."

He reads the item then nods. "A rocker for Lil' Ass Kicker."

Michonne cracks a smile at his infamous nickname for the little girl. "Seems like a simple request. Figured I'd check out those houses down the road there. Bound to be something." She explains then asks with a smirk, "You wanna go?"

Daryl looks at her, thinks for a moment before his splits into a grin. "For Ass Kicker...Hell yeah."

Michonne laughs then shakes her head. "Go get your stuff then and let Hershel or Carol know we're going out."

Daryl nods then hurries back into the prison block. He spots Carol in her cell folding laundry. "Goin' on a run, need anything?" he asks, announcing his presence.

Carol's head snaps up. "Leaving so early?" she asks concerned.

Daryl shrugs. "Ain't nothin' else to do right now. Michonne asked if I wanted to tag along. Gonna see if we can't a rocker for Lil' Ass Kicker."

Carol smiles. "You know she has a name, Judith."

"Who the hell is that?" He jokes, causing Carol to laugh then shake her head.

"I don't need anything but you two be careful." She warns then adds, "ok, Pookie?" she teases.

"Yes, Madre." He mutters, secretly detesting the nickname. Then with a final wave, he grabs his crossbow and heads back to where Michonne is waiting for him.

"Let's get this show on the road." He says then throws his crossbow in the truck and gets in the driver's seat.

Michonne hops in the back of the truck for the short ride down to the gate where a few walkers are waiting. They growl and snarl at her until she takes them out easily with her sword then opens the gate and waves him through. Once the gate is closed, she takes her place in the passenger seat next to Daryl. "Where to?" he asks as he arrives on the main highway.

"About ten minutes up the road there's a small neighborhood with some old houses. Figured we'd check those out first if it's not too bad." She answers. Daryl replies with a nod then follows her directions.

Michonne rolls down the window then places her arms on the window and slightly stick her head out, allowing the cool air to blow on her face. She closes her eyes and thinks about how she used to do that back when she was just a little girl. Her mother would scold her about it, claiming she'd catch a cold but her father didn't mind at all. In fact, he'd copy her. While he was driving. It was one of the few simple things she remembered most about him and held close to her. How she wish she could turn back time just once.

Finally, she sat back in her seat and rolled up the window with a sigh. "Dreamin' about better days?" Daryl asks.

"Don't we all?" Michonne mutters back.

Daryl nodded even though he didn't really have better days like Michonne did. The only thing good about his past was that there was no walkers but he chose to keep this thought to himself. He was hoping for a semi good day and hoped that they would find the one thing on the list for Beth.

After a few more minutes of small talk, they neared the small neighborhood Michonne had talked about and she pointed it out. Daryl pulled into an empty driveway and took a look around. It seemed to be peaceful but he knew those were always the ones you had to be really careful. Never, ever let your guard down.

After taking a brief moment to look, they got their weapons and headed into the first house they came to. It was beautiful and ancient looking, almost Victorian like. They opened the door with ease due to it being unlocked then walked inside. They walked around carefully, checking each room and listening for any unusual sounds. Nothing. Just silence.

Finally Daryl comes to the last room and after checking it, he spots exactly what they'd been looking for. In the corner sat a white old fashioned rocker that seemed to be in perfect condition. It was already beautiful but the hand carved roses on the back and alongside of the armrest made it perfect. "This is the one." He thought but made sure to include Michonne on the decision before making the final call.

"Hey Michonne, get in here!" he called out.

Michonne walked into the room with a curious look but her eyes brightened when she saw what Daryl was pointing at. She went over and sat in it, testing it out and running her fingers along the side of the roses. It was steady and quiet, which is just what they needed. "It's perfect." Michonne smiles, confirming Daryl's thoughts. "She'll love it, both of them, Judith and Beth."

"Damn right they will, let's do it!" he says excitedly, earning a laugh from Michonne.

"Never thought I'd see the day Daryl Dixon would be excited about something." She teases.

Daryl smirks then looks down. "Ain't been too much to be excited about these days." He says seriously then looks at the rocker once again. "Beth works her ass off for that kid and barely gets any acknowledgement, much less a thank you from anybody. Think this is the very least we could do."

Michonne nods in agreement. He had a good point. Barely anybody acknowledged Beth taking care of Judith. In fact, most of them thought the baby belonged to her and surprise to learn that it's actually Rick's. But she's never said a word. No complaint, not anything. They all had jobs to do and that was hers, whether it ever became official or not. The least they could do is make it more comfortable for her.

After checking the hallway and making sure everything was ok, they hauled the rocker into the back of the old pick up and secured it. Michonne hopped in the back reached into a pack and held out a bottle of beer. "Think we deserved one of these since we exceeded expectations today."

"Hell yeah!" He strongly agreed as he caught the bottle she threw at him.

They settle down on the tailgate, enjoying the peace and quiet yet still keeping a close eye out. "Do you think those things ever die? You know, the walkers." Michonne randomly asks.

Daryl shrugs. "Don't know. They're dead and they keep rotting but I don't know if they ever actually die. No damn scientist stuck around to find out." He mutters bitterly.

Michonne nods. "It's hard to believe they were ever humans. Lookin' at all them surrounded by the prison, they're more like pests. Humans seem to be the real danger these days." She says seriously.

Daryl gives her a knowing look but as he sips the rest of his beer. "Always been that way." he says quietly as flashbacks fill his mind.

Michonne thinks about taking the conversation deeper but decides against it. It's clear he doesn't want to relive the memories of his past and it was best for to respect that.

After a few minutes have passed, they resort back to small talk and the air becomes just a bit lighter. The sun is now well into the sky and the air is cool but still, something isn't right and they both sense it but refuse to acknowledge it. Finally, Michonne rises and jumps off the back. "We should get back, they'll start to wonder where we are." She inquires.

"Yeah, maybe we can back before Beth and Ass Kicker get up." Daryl says while throwing his stuff into the truck.

Michonne chuckles. "That poor baby girl is gonna be wondering why the hell anybody would give her a nickname like that when she gets older."

"She'll thank me for it later, especially when she lives up to it. Damn walkers gonna see her and be like 'aw shit, here comes Ass Kicker'!" Daryl says playfully.

Michonne laughs loudly and shakes her head. "You really do care for that little girl, don't you?" she says with a smile. "I think between all of you keeping her safe, she might actually have a chance."

Daryl nods. "As long as I'm there, she will be." he says with a faint smile.

Michonne puts on a fake surprised look. "Well look at here, maybe Daryl Dixon isn't such a hard ass after all." She teases.

Daryl puts a finger up to his mouth and shushes her. "Shhh," then he looks around. "Don't tell nobody." He smirks then hops into the driver's seat.

Michonne shakes her head, still chuckling as she opens the passenger door.

Then that's when they hear it…

A loud, heart wrenching scream piercing the silence of the seemingly peaceful neighborhood.

* * *

**Who/what could it be?! :) Sorry its short! Next chapter will be longer :)**


	2. Red

**Hello lovely people of fanfiction! First off, thank you so much for the follows/favs/and review. I know the first chapter was a little bland and truthfully, this one might be too but hang in there, it will all come together soon enough! If you've already read this chapter, sorry I had to repost. Too many typos that I couldn't ignore. :P Without further ado, here's ya go! If you read, please review! :)  
**

* * *

"Did you hear that?" Michonne asks while getting out of the car.

Daryl nods but stays where he's at, listening. Again, a terrified muffled scream pierces the air. "The hell?" He whispers skeptically as he gets out of the truck with his crossbow.

Michonne takes out her sword and listens more carefully. The screams intensify but they don't hear or see anything. No growling, snarling, moaning, anything. She does, however, finally pinpoint the cause of the screams which are coming from a few houses down. She points it out then she and Daryl hurry down to the house. They stop for a moment, listening and debating whether they should go in or not.

Once again terrified screams become even louder. As Daryl begins to open the door, they're both startled at the sound of shattering glass and the remnants raining down from the second story. They run to get a better view and are horrified at the scene before them. A young girl is being held down by her throat by a man while repeatedly punching her in the face and hanging out the broken window. She's gasping for air and even from the bottom they can see slash marks on her back.

"Daddy, please stop!" she cries out between hits.

"Son of a bitch!" Daryl growls angrily before running to the door.

Michonne, paralyzed from the shock, watches helplessly as this man hits her repeatedly while yelling obscenities. She can't help but notice that the girl's pants are becoming fewer and fewer the more he takes out his fury on her. It's not until he snatches her inside that she's snapped out of her shock and goes to help Daryl. "Daryl, open the damn door!" she yells frantically.

"I'm trying!" he bites back as he repeatedly kicks the locked door.

More scuffling, screaming and cursing are heard inside. "The window!" she suggests then they rush over to a big window that overlooks the living room.

"Get back!" Daryl shouts but right as he rears up to shatter the window, they hear a big _thunk!_ They can semi see through the curtains and notice that the man pushed the girl down stairs. At first, they both fear he killed her but a few seconds later she shakily heaves herself off the floor. She leans up against the wall, trying to keep her balance but her moment of peace is short lived when the man stomps down the stairs. She looks up with weary eyes then attempts to run but the man catches her long hair and yanks her back hard. Her pleading cries don't faze him a bit as he drags her into the other room.

"Now!" Michonne yells outraged. Daryl doesn't hesitate another second as he uses his crossbow to shatter the window.

It's comical how they both jump through at the same time but there's no time to think about it as they search for the man. What they find is worse than anything they've seen on a run. Worse than fighting walkers or seeing dead bodies. They were numb to it. But the fear and defeat they saw in the girl's eyes as she was quivering in a corner in the kitchen, that topped everything. Michonne noticed the blood flowing from a long and deep slash on her right arm as well a cut on her forehead, cheek and just about everywhere else on her body. She looked like she came right out of a horror movie. The man reeked of alcohol and was holding a huge knife with blood dripping from it. Michonne was both angered and shocked but Daryl was downright livid.

Right as the man went to deliver the death blow, Daryl lunged forward, grabbed his arm and threw him out of the kitchen. The drunk landed hard and seemed to be stunned. He must've been extremely drunk considering all the noise they caused breaking in and he hadn't even glanced their way. Daryl was enraged as he snatched him up and threw him against the wall then began punching him as hard as he could. "How do ya like it, asshole?!" He yelled furiously then threw him to floor.

Michonne took her turn as she began kicking him hard in the gut, Daryl joining her shortly after. She finally stopped when she glanced up and saw that faraway look in Daryl's eyes. A look she's only seen a few times during the rare occasion he talked about his past. She finally understood his rage and knew that his present actions weren't just because of the battered girl in the corner. This ran much deeper and struck the chords of past pain and misery. She huffed, shaking her head sadly as she let Daryl continue his business. She had no compassion for the man on the floor. Let him get his ass beat.

She did, however, have compassion and great concern for the young girl trembling in the corner. Her eyes, though dull and almost lifeless, widened a bit as Michonne walked over and slowly squatted down to her level. Unconsciously, the girl flinched back, wincing in pain as she did. Blood coated her face and matted her hair. She cradled her wounded arm to her chest, trying desperately to stop the blood but it was a feeble attempt as it continued to flow over. Her back and stomach were also bathed in the red liquid and was now causing a small puddle around her.

Michonne's eyes watered badly as she shakily took out a handkerchief and she gently grabbed the young girl's arm. "It's ok, we're not going to hurt you." She says softly as the girl yanks her arm away as if she'd been burned. She shakes her head slowly then leans it against the cabinet behind her. The despair and defeat is too much for Michonne to handle, tearing clouding her vision quickly. The girl, seeing the pain in the older woman's eyes, tenderly takes her good hand and gently squeezes her hand.

The tears fall freely now before Michonne can catch them. She squeezes the girl's hand firmly. "I'm sorry." She whispers to her then fiercely wipes away her tears. "Daryl!" she chokes out, becoming very overwhelmed. He snaps his head up to look at her with a questioning look. "I can't…" she trails off slowly. Daryl gets her message and with a final kick, he makes his way over to them.

The girl's eyes widen again as this new stranger comes over to them. The man, who had seemed so violent before, changes right before her eyes as his face softens up and he kneels down before her. Michonne hands him the handkerchief then leaves their side quickly, clearly overwhelmed by the girl's condition. Daryl gives her a slow nod before turning his attention back to the girl.

"Hey, hun'." He whispers huskily to the girl, getting her attention. "My name is Daryl, my friend over there is Michonne. We're not gonna hurt you. I promise." The girl seems slightly interested in his calm demeanor and though she's barely still with them, she chooses to believe them. With what little strength that she has, she willingly gives Daryl her wounded arm. Daryl offers a faint sympathetic smile as he takes her arm and looks at it. They'll definitely have to clean it up more than this but the least he can do is wrap it up to stop the blood.

Once he's done, she gives him a faint smile. Daryl notices that she's super skinny and most likely hasn't had anything to eat or drink and must be extremely dehydrated. He searches the cabinets and finally finds some bottled water. "Here." he says as he unscrews the lid then gently lifts her head up and holds the bottle to her lips. She slowly receives the water, enjoying the wonderful feeling of finally being able to satisfy her parched throat. After that, he finds another wash cloth, wets it down then carefully begins cleaning the blood off her bruised face. She remains still for the most part except for some involuntary flinches here and there. "I'm sorry you had to go through this." he whispers sincerely as he gently cleans out a cut."But I understand." Tears form in the young girl's eyes and quietly run down her cheek. "Hey," he says as he caresses her cheek gently. She looks into his eyes and sees determination. "You're gonna get through this." He says meaningfully. She closes her eyes and lets out soft sobs as he tenderly smooths her hair back.

As Daryl does his best to comfort the young girl and gain her trust, Michonne watches with angry tears. She didn't understand how anybody could do this to their child. She'd always heard of people being abusive but now that the world has dwindled down to a hand full of people, she realizes that there's more people who have gone through these situations more than she thought. Daryl and Carol and who knows how many others. It sickened her. Looking down at the brutal human being, she hoped he died a slow and painful death. Daryl's own emotions are everywhere as well but more so sharing Michonne's righteous anger. He hated this. It just proved to him that this world had more people like his own father and that wasn't something to be proud of. He didn't understand how and why this world was so messed up. What made parents turn on their child like this? That was a question that would most likely go unanswered forever.

When the girl's eyes finally opened again it was only because she sensed something wrong, causing the hair on her neck to stand up. Daryl saw the alarm in her eyes as she flinched back and pointed a shaky hand. "Watch out." She tried croaking out.

Daryl looked back just in time to see a walker rise up behind Michonne. "Michonne, watch out!" he shouted.

Michonne wasted no time as she quickly pulled out her sword and sliced the creatures head off just before it sank it's teeth into her neck. The girl's eyes widened in fear and she backed herself even tighter into the corner. "Hey, hey, it's ok." Daryl says reassuringly but she continues to flinch away from his touch and shake her head wildly as she begins to sob.

Michonne looks at her bewildered then looks down at the carcass and realizes that it was her father, the same one that was trying to kill her. She informs Daryl who sighs loudly then rubs his forehead. "Damn it." he mutters to himself.

Michonne looks down guiltily at the corpse. "Why'd you make me do it?" she mumbles angrily while shaking her head.

The girl cries while wincing in pain if she inhales too deeply. The trembling continues violently due to fear, pain and loss of blood. The adrenaline has worn off, leaving her weak and tired. She just witnessed her father be murdered right before her eyes even though it was justified because he nearly killed her. Truth was even she wasn't out of the woods yet. She'd lost a tremendous amount of blood and she didn't get help soon, she'd die.

Tears rolled down her cheek but her mind was foggy and her eyes heavy and her breathing slowed down dramatically. Daryl notices this and feels her pulse which is very faint. "If we don't get her to Hershel now, she's not going to make it." He says.

Michonne nods then picks up their weapons. While leaning down, her ear catches a familiar noise and her immediate thoughts are, "It better not be…" but her fears and suspicions are confirmed when she looks out the window and sees not one, not two, but about forty walkers down the block heading their way. "Shit." She hisses.

"How many?" Daryl asks instantly annoyed.

"About forty to fifty." She replies while snatching up their stuff.

"Shit!" Daryl repeats then looks back to the girl. There's no way he'd leave her to this fate. As he goes to pick her up, she cries out in pain and he realizes that the blood has sort of created a suction cup effect with the cabinets. "Damn it, Michonne come here and cover her mouth."

Michonne gives him a strange look but does what he asks. He looks back to the girl with an apologetic look. "This is going to hurt but stay with me." He warns. He then nods to Michonne then lifts the girl into his arms. Moans and groans escape her lips as pain shoots through her entire body. Once Daryl positions her better he urges Michonne to quickly open the truck doors.

It's a race against time as they jog across the street. Daryl now sees the herd of walkers that are now fully aware of their presence and just down the street. It wouldn't take them long to get there, especially since their pace has picked up due to the encouragement of food. Daryl finally makes it to the truck and holds the girl tightly. Michonne shuts his door then hurries to her side and tries cranking the vehicle.

And that's when the freaking engine wouldn't start.

Michonne gives Daryl an 'Oh shit' look and they look behind them. The herd is about half way over to them and moving fast. There's no way they can out run it. Michonne tries repeatedly cranking the engine with the same results every time. Finally, she pauses and gives Daryl a helpless look. They lock eyes and stare each other down. They'd been through so much together and now this was the end. Michonne squeezes his shoulder then leans back into her seat.

Daryl is numb. He can't believe it's over. He sighs then looks down at the wounded child in his arms. Her eyes flutter open for a brief moment as he places a soft kiss on her head. "I'm sorry it had to end this way." He whispers into her ear then holds her tightly against his chest.

It's an eerie feeling waiting for death. Especially when you can hear the snarls and growls coming closer and closer. He wondered, how many other's fate ended this way? Come this far only to become a statistic. Another death toll. Oh well, it was bound to happen sometime…right?

As Michonne looked into the rear view mirror and saw the herd just a few feet away, she turned the key hopelessly one more time and what happened next was nothing short of a miracle.

The engine worked.

As soon as she heard the beauty of a running engine, she gave Daryl a quick relieved look then cranked it into reverse, sped out of the driveway and on to the main highway, leaving the walkers in the dust.

Daryl lets out a huge breath then glares at Michonne. "I swear, if you were just fuckin' with me, you have a sick sense of humor!" he snaps.

Michonne can't help but laugh. "No," she says shakily. "I was just as scared as you were. Way too close for comfort." She looks up at the sky and mumbles, "You have one hell of a sense of humor, Big Man."

Daryl runs a hand through his hair. "Damn, what a day! And it's not even half way over yet." He stresses.

"Hopefully this'll be the last close call for the day." She says then looks down and sees Daryl's arms shaking around the girl. "How is she?"

Daryl looks down and sees that she's passed but still has a faint heartbeat. "She's out."

"How old do you think she is?"

Daryl looks down at the sleeping figure. "Can't be any more than eighteen I'd say."

Michonne nods. "Think she's gonna make it?" she asks worriedly.

"I don't know." He answers honestly but deep down, he hoped.

It seemed like ages before the finally reached the prison. As they pulled up, Glenn opened the gate for them and let them through. Once they were through and parked, Maggie greeted them with a huge smile. "I can't believe you guys actually did it!" Michonne and Daryl looked at each other confused. "The rocker, it's perfect!" she exclaims admiring the chair in the back.

Truth be told, with everything happening, both of them had forgotten about the rocker but they didn't have time for chit chat. Michonne gets out of the truck first and pulls Maggie to the side. "Maggie, we need Hershel now!" she says frantically.

Maggie's smile falls. "Why? What-" then Daryl steps out of the truck with the sleeping girl in his arms and she gasps as she sees what condition she's in. "Oh my god, what happened?!"

"We'll explain later but right now we need Hershel!" Daryl says as calmly as he can.

Maggie snaps out of her shock then quickly nods and leads them to where Hershel is. His head snaps up at they announce their presence and his reaction is similar to Maggie's yet he quickly goes into doctor mode and directs Daryl over to a bed where he sets her down. "Talk to me, Daryl. What happened?" He says as he checks her pulse and gets to work.

"On a run, fixin' to leave when we hear screaming and a window break. Next thing we know some asshole has her hanging out the window and is beating the shit out of her." He explains briefly while keeping an eye on her. Hershel nods then gets back to work, examining the worst wounds with Maggie's help.

"Well, the good news is none of these wounds are life threatening. The bad news is, she's lost a lot of blood. Way too much and we don't know her blood type."

"Why can't we just give her blood?" Daryl asks.

Hershel gives him a stern look. "Because if we give her the wrong kind, she'll die." He explains then listens to her heartbeat again. "The best thing we can do is bind her wounds, starting with the worst ones on her back and head and make her as comfortable as we can. Until then, you can stay here and help if you'd like."

Daryl nods, despite how anxious he is. He's never been one for nursing or healing but he didn't want to leave. He knew he'd be no use anywhere else right now until he knew she was out of the woods. So instead of leaving, he stays and quietly help and by help, he flipped her onto her stomach then silently kept an eye on her.

After about a half an hour, Daryl heard a soft groan as Hershel finished stitching a wound on her back. Her eyes fluttered open for a quick second before wincing, her face contorting into pain and a slight tear appearing in her eye. Daryl, not sure exactly what to do, grabs her hand and gently squeezes. "You know, for a split second I didn't think any of us were going to make it. We've had a lot of close calls but this one was definitely the worst." She looks at him with droopy yet interested eyes, fixated on his words. "But the point is that we made it. Doesn't really matter how any more. We're here, we got through it, that's all that matters. Same goes for you. All the hell and close calls you've been through, it doesn't matter anymore." he pauses long enough to brush her hair back from her face then looks into her eyes again. "You're gonna get through this." He whispers softly as he tenderly wipes away a stray tear from her eye.

She can no longer keep her eyes open anymore but as she slips back into darkness, his words echo in her ear.

* * *

**Ah snap, did you get a quick adrenaline rush with the walker scene? Probably not, I suck at writing action XD Just a little heads up, I know I keep calling her the girl but the reason for that is relevant to the story so its not just my crappy writing lol she has a name but it will be revealed later! Thanks for reading peeps! Let me know your thoughts! **


	3. Talk With the Doc

**I literally just posted this chapter but then I had some crazy guest person complaining about the tags but I couldn't explain myself because it was a 'guest' account. They complained I tagged Daryl, OC, Michonne and Carol. Instead of leaving a nasty review, message me and NICELY ask me to change the tags. You wanna know why I posted tagged those people? Because they are ALL main characters in this story. It's not just an Daryl/OC or Daryl/Carol. They are ALL important characters. Yeah, there's going to be sweet moments between all of them so don't get your panties in a twist. This person said I was "mean and unfair" for posting those tags. lol wtf? I'm not the only person who does this. BUT I was nice and took Carol off. But in the future, don't post nasty comments with getting my side of the story mostly because those comments will get deleted anyways. THANKS.**

Anyways, Heyyy! Sorry it took so long to update but thanks for the reviews, favs and stalkers ;) Just a little author's note, I write this story not just because its in my head but I have a few friends who have inspired this story. They went through a lot but now they're some of the strongest people I know. I know people like Daryl and Hershel and they're some of the greatest people who have used their struggles to reach out to others and strengthen them so that they can help others. So if there's anything you take from this story, know that your tragedies aren't for nothing. They have a purpose and a story that's waiting to be told and heal others. So, what that said, I hope you enjoy this chapters!

* * *

It'd been over a week since Daryl and Michonne rescued a girl from being murdered. She was in and out of consciousness the first day but when she finally fell asleep, she never woke up. It's been eight days now and everyone was starting to get anxious. Daryl, especially. Since day one he refused to leave her side. Yes, he understood there was still work to do but he did his chores, went on quick runs then resumed his position by her side. Hershel informed him that she was in a coma most likely due to exhaustion and blood loss. Since the amount of damage and trauma were severe, there was no telling when or if she would wake up. As the week passed, Rick and others tried talking to Daryl but he refused to listen. He refused to believe she wasn't going to make it. For some reason he didn't understand, he wanted her make it. Any other person he would've walked away and continued his day but she was somehow different. Maybe it was because he was there and saw what happened. Maybe it was compassion or hope or even understanding. All this time alone gave him a chance to really think about how he's changed of the past year. He grew up believing that compassion and forgiveness made you weak but now that Merle was gone, he had the chance to become the man he never thought he'd be. In a way, it was a good thing but at the same time, it terrified him.

Daryl sighed as he looked at the sleeping figure in front of him. "You gotta wake up soon. Everyone is starting to doubt if you'll make it." he whispers.

"Not everyone." A familiar voice says.

Daryl twists around to see Hershel walking into the room. "Sup', Dr. H." He greets quietly.

Hershel nods then points to a chair. "May I?"

Daryl shrugs then motions towards it. Hershel takes a seat then begins his daily exam on the girl, checking her pulse, heartbeat, any infections, ect. Daryl remains quiet as he watches the doctor do his thing. Finally, he looks up and says, "No change. Everything seems normal. He wounds are healing nicely. They'll probably feel a lot better when she wakes up."

"Are you saying that because you believe it or are you just trying to make me feel better?" Daryl asks.

"Have I ever said anything I didn't mean?" Hershel retorts, which gets Daryl. The old man has a point. "I didn't think so."

"She hasn't woken up yet. Even I'm starting to wonder…"

"Daryl, stop it." Hershel says firmly. "As I told the others, you have to give the body time to heal itself. You saw for yourself the trauma her body had to go through. Now she's a fighter, but to be honest she should be dead right now. It's a miracle she's breathing on her own but it's a good sign."

"Tell me the truth, Doc. If she does wake up, what do you think she's going to be like?" Daryl asks curiously.

Hershel shrugs. "Hard to tell, honestly. Blood loss is nothing to mess less. It effects your brain and can cause any where from a just a slight speech impediment to brain damage. There's really no telling until she wakes up."

Daryl sighs then runs his fingers through his hair. "What about you?" Hershel asks concerned. "Seeing that kind of violence isn't something you really walk away from unfazed, especially with your history. What's going on in your head?"

Daryl remains silent for a moment before shaking his head. "Just showed me that there were more assholes in this world than I thought." He answers honestly.

Hershel nods. "I believe it but I think there's more to it." Daryl looks up. "There's got to be a reason you're sitting here right here and I think it runs deeper than that."

Daryl looks away and turns his attention back to the girl. He looks down at her arm and notices the various scars, both faded and new. "What do you think, Doc? You're good at reading people. Go ahead. Say your piece." He says nonchalantly.

Hershel gives him a long look then finally speaks. "You know, Daryl, since I've been with this group I've hardly ever seen you show emotion. I always thought that's just the way you were. But then I met your brother and I noticed you became a different person. Someone who was slightly afraid and insecure, if you will. It was then I noticed your past wasn't completely behind you. I saw the scars on your back." Daryl tenses up and grips the bed sheet. "We all have our scars, Daryl. Some that aren't fully healed and they still hurt when salt gets into them. This situation with this young girl, you had to witness it all and that was the salt in the wound. It brought up your own history with your father and your brother and I believe that is the reason you rescued her. You couldn't stand to watch someone else go what you had to go through because one you understand and two, you are not heartless."

Daryl thinks about the wise mans' words. It made sense, he guessed. But would he openly admit it? It was easier to stay quiet.

"It's not a bad thing, Daryl. If anything, it shows real maturity. A real man stands up for those weaker than him. He does the right thing even when it's not the easiest. He takes the leadership role seriously, whether it be in a group like this or in someone else's life. All of which you are doing in your own way." He pauses for a moment then continues. "I'm gonna tell you something and I want you to listen. Years and years ago, I wasn't a very mature man and I don't mean just physically. I was a drinker, abuser, a liar and a cheater and I wouldn't give you the shirt off my back and you know why? Because my old was that way and you what the funny thing was? I swore up and down when I was younger that I would never be like him. I even moved out when I was fifteen. Yet I still ended up drinking and one I looked in the mirror and I'll be damned, there's my father. I was ashamed and carried that regret like a pack mule for years. It ruined everything, including my first marriage and it wasn't until Maggie was born that I gave it all up."

Daryl was interested now. He never really talked to anyone, much less about his past. When he did talk, it was usually to Rick and Carol, sometimes Michonne, and even then heart to hearts were very few. Hearing this side of Hershel, it was different but it intrigued him.

"I wish that I could say I stopped immediately when I saw her face but it wasn't until she was three. I was shit faced drunk as they say and I went on anything and everything in my way, including Maggie. She was crying and I slapped her in the face so hard that she flew back and hit her head on the table. Knocked her right out. Josie was screaming and hitting at me then I turned around and slapped her too. Needless to say, I spent the night in jail. Josie…she came three days later. I'll never forget the look on her face, there was no anger, just disappointment, sadness and grief. She looked at me and said, 'Honey, I believed in you. We've gone through so much but I have to draw the line here. I can't put our daughter in danger anymore.' then she got up, looked at me one more time and said, 'I still believe in you. Believe in yourself.'" Hershel sighs as he recalls his past. "I let those words rack my mind a thousand time while I was in jail. When I finally got out, I went home and threw away every single bottle of alcohol I could find. I waited two more months, making sure I was steady enough to be around them. Then when I finally got the courage to speak to her, I gave her a call and we met at the place where we first met. Long story short, we had a long talk and got everything out in the open. Must've took…mmm three to four hours. But we finally reconciled everything between us and she let me see Maggie again. Slowly but surely we mended our broken family and three years later, Beth was born and thankfully, she never had to witness that side of me."

Daryl nodded slowly. "Lucky son of a bitch." He whispered.

Hershel chuckled. "Yes sir, I was and I'm glad the Lord gave me a second chance because about four later, Josie lost a battle to cancer. The girls and I were devastated but they needed their father and I'm glad I straightened up my ass enough to be there for them. And then, a few years down the road, I met Annette and she lifted my spirits and eventually the girls' too." Hershel pauses for a moment and looks at Daryl. "My point of me telling you this, Daryl, is that out of all of our tragedies and mistakes, there is still a chance and a hope for redemption. You once thought you were doomed to become like your father and brother, that you had no other choice. But look around you, neither of them are here, they no longer have control over you. And now you have a chance to become the man you never thought you'd be but here's the catch." Daryl meets Hershel's eyes. "You're afraid."

"I ain't afraid." Daryl replies by impulse.

Hershel shoots him a warning look. "You're fearless when it comes to a lot of things but not this." He says bluntly. "It's not an easy thing to overcome. But you're on your way." He points to the sleeping girl. "This young lady here, you're gonna help her. All that hell that you went through when you were younger, good is going to come out of it. I'm not saying it won't be hard. It'll probably stir up a lot of unwanted memories but I think it'll finally help you overcome your own past."

Daryl, after staying quiet for several minutes, finally speaks up. "When I saw her crash through the window, I thought it was a walker attacking her but he was clutching her by the throat and she screamed, 'Daddy, please stop it!'. But he didn't listen. He just kept punching and she kept on screaming. When we finally broke in, she was huddled in a corner. I was pissed. I beat the son of a bitch til' he was dead but I couldn't get my ol' man's face out of my head. Then I saw the girl. The blood, the fear, the scars…it was like I was taken back and reliving all that shit again. Still am. Don't know why I'm here though."

"It's because you care, Daryl." Hershel says in a matter of fact voice.

"Shit." Daryl whispers sarcastically.

Hershel chuckles. "It's only because you've been there, Daryl. You understand what she's going through and when she wakes up, she's going to need all the help she can get. Now it's very unfortunate that she's had to suffer through this in the first place but you and even Carol understand here, you've been through it, you've overcome it and its made you stronger. Give her that chance. Give her a chance to really live a life that's not filled with pain, even if it's a short one. She deserves it. We are not promised tomorrow, never have been and nowadays, you have to be thankful for each day that you have."

Daryl sighs, dwelling on the doctor's words. "You're so sure she's going to wake up, aren't ya, Doc?" he finally says.

Hershel gives a sympathetic smile. "Old man wisdom."

"Pfft." Daryl shakes his head, causing Hershel to chuckle.

"I've seen worse situations than this one come through, mine included. No one thought I was going to make it but I did. It only cost me a leg." He winks then stands up and pats Daryl on the shoulder. "Don't give up on her, Daryl."

"Thanks, Dr. H." Daryl replies meaningfully.

Hershel smiles then turns to leave. "One more thing." He says, getting Daryl's attention. "It helps if you talk to her."

"Talk to her?" Daryl asks skeptically.

Hershel nods. "Just because she can't open her eyes, doesn't necessarily mean she can't hear you. Give it a shot." He says then continues walking out the door.

Daryl, still confused, turns back to the girl. He thinks about Hershel's story and how much he could relate. Though he hated to admit it, the old man was right. Of course he was. He's Hershel. There's rarely been a time he was wrong when it came to this kind of stuff. In a way, Daryl welcomed it. He needed the direction and wisdom coming from someone else who understood. However, it was really overwhelming. He expected him to guide this girl he barely knew? How on earth could he do that? He already tried talking to Carol but she said it hit too close to home and said she couldn't do it, which made Daryl slightly frustrated but he let it go for now.

After about an hour of thinking passes, Daryl shifts uncomfortably in his seat and clears his throat. "So, uh, Hershel says I should talk to you. As you could tell, I'm not much of talker but I'll try. I'll start by saying, I don't know what the hell I'm doing. I don't know how to help you. I don't expect my words to hold some miracle revelation to hit you but I guess-"

"Knock knock." A shy voice announces her presence.

Daryl sighs then turns around to see Beth at the doorway. "Hey." He says shortly.

"Hey." She returns his greeting. "I won't keep you long. I just…I just wanted to thank you."

Daryl lifts up his eyebrows. "Thank me for what?"

Beth looks guilty. "For the rocker. Michonne told me what happened. You almost died because of me…because of a stupid request-"

"Hey, it wasn't stupid. Like I told Michonne, you work your ass off taking care of that kid and barely anybody acknowledges you. You deserved it." Daryl tries to reassure her.

Beth offers a small smile. "I know I just…I don't know what I'd do if you two didn't come back and it was because of me…"

"But we did come back and that's what's important. Don't worry about it." He insists. "Do you like it?"

Beth's face lights up. "I love it. Judith and I both. It's much easier to get her to sleep or to just hang out. Thank you." she says sweetly, earning a smile from Daryl. Then she nods towards the girl. "Is she ok?"

Daryl shrugs. "Ok as she can be, I guess. No change." Beth nods then Daryl says something to try to cheer her up. "You know, if it hadn't been for your stupid request, she would've died a slow and brutal death. She's very lucky."

Beth smiles. "I'm glad you found her." She says then turns to leave. "I hope she makes it." She says seriously.

Daryl nods. "Me too."

And with one more quick smile, she leaves Daryl alone. "Told you I sucked at talking to people." He says to the girl.

A few more hours passed and still nothing. No response. No movement. Daryl was starting to get anxious and started pacing back and forth in the cell. He was thinking too much about his past and what Hershel had to say. All that pressure was building and building and finally, he just went off. "You know I'm not askin' much!" His voice rises as he paces back and forth. "You either gonna live or ya ain't. Simple as that. Hell, die for all I care but make up your frickin' mind so I'm not sitting here and waiting for your ass to get up." Daryl sighs angrily, his nostrils flaring. "Ya know what, I put myself and another person in danger to save your ass. Now wake up and show your old man whose boss. He ain't worth dying for. Hell, I'd rather you get eaten by a damn walker than die because of that dirt bag." Angry tears prick at his eyes. "Damn it." he says as he angrily wipes his face. "You ain't supposed to die this way!" he kneels down and grabs her by the shoulders and shakes her. "Wake up! You're not worthless, damn it. All that shit he said about you, it ain't true!"

Suddenly visions of his father beating him and burning him with cigarettes and insults. Daryl falls onto the bed with the girl limp in his arms. He finally breaks and starts sobbing into her hair. He holds her for a while like that as memories and sobs rack his body. "Wake up." He whispers over and over.

It's into the night when Daryl sobers up and gets a hold of himself. He sincerely hoped that no one had heard him but there's no telling. There's no privacy in this place. Daryl finally gives up and lays her back onto the bed. He takes a shaky breath then slowly gets up from his chair. He glances one more glance at her and says, "see ya tomorrow." Then he begins walking towards the exit.

He looks down and discovers he almost left his knife. He walks over, bends down and comes up just in time to see a pair of blue eyes fluttering open.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! Review, fav and stalk! :D**


	4. Three Questions

_Hey everyone! Sorry it's taken so long! Thank you for your reviews though they are few but I appreciate the follows and favs. Thanks so much! I hope you enjoy the latest chapter!_

* * *

Daryl stared at her for what seemed hours. She was confused and disorientated at first as it was mainly dark with the exception of the lamp. When she finally met Daryl's eyes, her own widened in fear. She tries to get up but then immediately regrets her decision as she grabs her side and gasps in pain.

Daryl snaps out of his shock just then and tries to reach for her. She jumps back, afraid but once again cries out in pain. "Shh, it's ok. I'm not gonna hurt ya." He tries to reassure her but she remains apprehensive. He freezes in his place, not wanting to push his luck.

The girl tries to move again but hisses through her teeth. Tears fill her eyes and Daryl realizes she has no pain medicine. "That must hurt like a bitch!" he thought to himself.

He cautiously approaches her slowly, keeping eye contact with her. "It's a'right." He says quietly as he carefully sits on the bed. Her breathing quickens as she begins to tremble. Daryl slowly grabs her hand and her eyes shoot wide open as she jerks away and then ducks her head in the corner. It took a lot to hurt him, he was usually hard as a rock but this…the evidence of the trauma she was forced to deal with was clear as day and that broke him. He lets go of her hand and crosses his arms. "I don't…I don't know what to say to reassure you you're not going to be hurt here." he says softly and she slowly looks up. He shrugs. "Guess I can't say much. I been there." As he stands he turns around and see that she's not shaking anymore but she remains silent and her eyes are still pained. "I'll get the doctor here to check you out." He mumbles then exits quickly before he has the chance to do something crazy like cry.

Daryl makes his way over to Hershel's cell. He hated to wake the old man so late but he also knew he wouldn't mind much. He'd been as worried about the girl as Daryl had been and he knew he'd want to know if she'd woken up.

Daryl gently shakes Hershel's shoulder and calls his name. When the old man woke, he yawned and gave Daryl a confused look. "Daryl, what's going on?" he asks.

"The girl…she woke up. She's in pain. Might wanna go check it out." He explains vaguely then turns to exit.

"Daryl," the doc calls after him, causing him to stop. "What's the matter? Did something happen?"

"The world ain't gone to shit, Doc. It was like that before the Walkers. Probably worse." He says quietly then makes a quick exit.

Hershel's shakes his head with a sigh as he watches the wounded young man walk away. While he packs his medical supplies, he can't but think about Daryl and the young woman he'd found. It pains him to see such cruelty to good people but he also believed, no matter how crazy God's plans sounded, He still worked everything out for our good. He couldn't but help think that it was rather creative to create a zombie apocalypse just to bring broken people together so that they could mend each other. He hoped more than anything that this girl would make it long enough to be able to experience kindness, even if it was just a little while.

As Hershel makes his way to the girl's cell, he slightly knocks on the bars announcing his presence. The girl looks up and has the same reaction as she did to Daryl but Hershel holds up his hands and offers a smile. "It's ok, Miss. My name is Hershel and I'm a doctor." He greets as he comes in and sits in a chair next to her. She stares at him, trying to seem brave but the pain overwhelms.

Hershel offers a sympathetic smile. "Nobody here is gonna hurt ya. We're good people. All I want to do for you right now is take a look and make sure you're ok. I know you're in a lot of pain and I want to do my best to make you as comfortable as possible. Ok?"

After a few moments, the girl answers with a slight nod of her head. Hershel offers one more smile then asks her to sit up. It takes a few tries but she finally gets herself up. Hershel tries to help steady her but she keeps involuntarily flinching. She looks up and gives him a nervous apologetic look which he reassures her everything is ok. He then begins his work on her. She remains still until he gets to her side.

She cries out in pain which alerts Daryl who was almost asleep. He eyes shoot up and he quickly hurries over to them. He sees Hershel trying to comfort the girl who is doubled in pain. "Take a deep breath in and then let it out." He coaxes her gently. She whimpers but eventually does as she's told. He carefully takes the bandage off her, revealing the damage done which is a nasty gash that was so bad it couldn't be stitched up. "Here, lay on your opposite side." He suggests as he helps her lay down.

Daryl's eyes widen as her bare back reveals numerous scars both old and fresh. Hershel begins to work on the worst gash on her side and she takes a few deep breaths but eventually it starts to become unbearable for her. It goes from a few whimpers to crying out and begging him to stop. Hershel tries his best to comfort her but it's too much for her.

Daryl tries his best to keep quiet but his pacing gets Hershel's attention. "Daryl, come here please. I could use some help." He calls him over. Daryl hesitates, unsure of what to do. The girl cries out again and Hershel gives him another desperate look. Daryl finally comes to his senses and comes over. "Get on the other side of her, try to hold her down." He instructs.

Daryl does what he's supposed to do but it pains both him and her even more. The sight is heart breaking. Her eyes are clenched shut, face twisted in pain, tears cascading down her cheeks. Daryl shakes his head. "Do somethin'!" he demands the doctor.

"I'm trying, Daryl. Hold her still. Believe it or not, this was worse. This was infected. Now it actually looks better." he explains.

"It don't seem like it!" Daryl snaps.

Hershel gives him a stern look. "She's lucky to be alive. There's no telling how long this has gone untreated before we got her here and this isn't the only one." He says bluntly. Daryl shudders then looks away. "Daryl, I know this is hard for you. It ain't easy on me either. But, you have got to let nature take its' course. She's healing, there's no infection, just a lot of pain."

"Can't you give her somethin'?" Daryl asks in a pained voice.

Hershel makes eye contact with him. "I have." He answers sadly.

Tears sting Daryl's eyes as he looks down at her bruised face. Fear and pain don't mix well and he knew she was definitely scared. Suddenly, he lets her go and with one hand he grabs her trembling one and the other, he softly smooths back her hair back. "Shh," he gently shushes when she flinches. He strokes her hair as Hershel cleans up her wounds and slowly but surely, she begins to settle down at his touch. Her breathing, though slightly uneven, slows down. Her eyes slowly open and meet his. Daryl tries to offer a smile but it turns more into a grimace. Her eyes catch the tear drop that splatters onto his shirt and her curious look make him realize that he's crying. He wipes away his tears then looks away, remaining silent. He wanted this over quickly.

Hershel finishes cleaning her wounds then instructs Daryl to gently hold her up while he finishes wrapping her up. He does what he's told and steadies her when she stars to sway. She shakes her head to clear it then looks at Daryl. There's that same curious look she's been giving him. "I know it hurts like hell." He speaks softly, trying to distract her when she closes her eyes again. Her eyes meet his. "My Pop, he took to the drink a lot. So much that it was it was weird when he was sober." Daryl sighs, recalling the memory yet she still remained interested in his story. "One night, I was walking by him and he out of nowhere lunged at in me in the kitchen. He threw me into the stove and knocked over some boiling water on top of me. One of the worst pains I'd experience apart from the branding iron on my back." He looked away, bitter at the memory. "There're a lot of assholes out there and they ain't nothin' but sperm donors."

After a moment or two, Daryl feels a feather light touch on his arm. He looks down at her and it looks like she wants to speak but she eventually just shakes her head and gives a sympathetic look. Daryl gives her a gentle squeeze on her shoulder to reassure her she's ok.

"There." Hershel announces. "Good as new." He smiles at them both. He then gives her a pill and a glass of water. "For the pain." He clarifies.

She nods gratefully and accepts the medicine. Hershel smiles then gently pats her hand. "You must be tired. We'll let you get some rest." He says but when both Daryl and Hershel stand up she shakes her head. Daryl turns to leave but she grabs his hand. She gives him a nervous, almost pleading look.

"You want me to stay?" He asks confused.

She hesitates but eventually gives a slow nod. Daryl sighs then sits back down. "Ok." He says.

"I'm going to head back to my cell. If you need anything, just holler." Hershel says, hinting that the two of them needed time together. Daryl nodded and the doctor continued on his way.

Neither of them said anything. They just sat there in silence, every once in a while looking at each other. Eventually, Daryl's eyes were drooping and he'd realized he'd barely gotten any sleep. The girl was fighting sleep as well but she'd willed herself to stay up.

"You should get some sleep." he yawned.

The girl looked away, trying to hide the disappointment on her face. She was still scared and confused but she didn't dare say a word. Daryl, sensing that she really didn't want to be left alone, sighs and decides to do the right thing. "A'right, I'll stay." He concedes. "But no funny business." He smirks and the girl offers a very faint smile. "Do ya feel like talkin'?"

Her face contorts in conflict between wanting to and not wanting to. She gives him a shy look and shakes her head no and then flinches back expecting him to be mad. But all Daryl does is nod and says, "Too soon. I understand." The girl relaxes and slightly nods. "We have a while yet. Guess I could tell ya a bit about this place. Our group met up a little over a year ago. We've gained people, lost people, come from different back grounds but all in all, we're the closest thing to family we got right now. The leader of the group, Rick, he's a good man. Got us through hell while going through it himself. You'll meet him shortly…" On and on the conversation went. He told her how they all met, who they lost, their enemies, the eight month struggle, everything. It was almost therapeutic, getting everything out in the open. And she sat there and listened the whole time. Finally, after Daryl talked about everything he could think of, he leaned back against the wall and looked up at the ceiling. "It ain't much but it sure as hell beats being alone." He finishes.

A few minutes later, just as the girl and Daryl were drifting off, the sounds of a wailing baby make them snap out of their slumber. "And that's Lil' Ass Kicker." He mumbles, slightly annoyed. She chuckles slightly, looking in the direction of the crying baby. Another more pleasant sound over runs the cries as the notes of a sweet song fill the air. "That's Beth. She's one hell of a singer and a babysitter. She's a young'n but she's got a good head on her shoulders." Soon enough, just the sound of Beth's singing fills the air and its gets closer to their cell.

Beth looks up just in time and jumps a tad in surprise. "So that's where the voices were coming from." She giggles softly as she walks into the entrance. "Hi, I'm Beth and this is Judith." She greets the girl and the girl politely nods her way. "What's your name?"

The girl remains silent as both Daryl and Beth look at her in anticipation. After a few more moments of awkward silence, Daryl speaks up. "She's still hasn't talked yet. Lil' overwhelming right now." He explains.

"Oh," she says but then offers a kind smile. "that's ok. I know this is a big change for you but I promise you'll love this place. It's not paradise but it's a lot better compared to what's on the outside of the fence."

The girl nods then eyes the baby awake but content in Beth's arms. "Would you like to hold her?" she flinches slightly, blushing at the thought of being caught. She looks at Beth who smiles down at Judith then back at the girl. "Would you like to hold Judith?" she asks again.

The girl looks her in surprise then looks at Daryl, who nods his consent. She looks at Beth and then slightly nods in agreement. Beth carefully hands the baby over and positions her in the girl's arms. She's nervous at first but then it appears that she's a real natural. Judith coos and smiles up at her. "She likes you." Beth says excitedly. Daryl smiles slightly at the scene. The girl looks more content than she has since the first day he brought her home.

For a while, she coos back at the baby and whispering things they can't quite hear and eventually, Judith falls asleep in her arms. She stares at her for a long time and her face changes from contentment to sadness. Daryl and Beth exchange worried glances, wondering if this was a good idea.

Suddenly, she shakes her head, ridding herself of a memory and the hands the baby back to Beth. "You did a good job with her. I never get her to sleep that fast." She compliments but the girl just nods and looks away. Beth, feeling defeated, looks to Daryl who gives her a sympathetic look. "I'm going to put the little one to bed. You guys should probably hit the hay too." She looks to the girl. "It was nice meeting you. I hope to know your name soon. I don't like calling you "the girl" all the time, ya know? I'm sure you have a lovely name." she smiles then exits the cell and bids them both a good night.

After she leaves, Daryl turns to her and says, "She has a point, ya know. I understand not talking much but we at least need to know your name." he stands up and stretches. "Get some sleep. Long day tomorrow."

The girl nods, her own eyes drooping but still sad. Daryl pats her arm then tells her goodnight. "You're gonna be ok." He says meaningfully.

"I hope so." She mumbles so quietly Daryl doesn't even hear it as he goes back to his cell.

The next day, neither of them wake up until around noon and the sun is well into the sky. The girl stretches with a yawn and then notices a plate of food left on the nightstand next to her. It's been who knows how long since she's eaten. Despite the vague ache in her body, she sat up and practically devoured the warm oatmeal and toast. Already she felt ten times better. She wanted to try to get up but she was too nervous to explore.

"Ah, you're up and at em'." The doctor greeted with a smile. "Feelin' any better today?"

She shakes her head in agreement with a small smile. "Good. You're gonna have some company today. Rick, the leader of this group along with a few other key members here who'd like to introduce themselves. But don't worry, they're good people. We don't tolerate anything less. It's a war out there and we need to have people who are trustworthy." He assures, knowing she's still apprehensive.

She nods then grabs for her dish but Hershel beats her to it. "I got it, Miss. Headed that way anyway." He says kindly. "Rick will be here shortly to introduce himself." And with that, she's left alone again with nothing to do but wait to meet this mysterious Rick person she's heard so much about.

About thirty minutes later, her waiting is over as she looks up to see a man in his mid-forties with wavy brown hair and kind blue eyes walk into her call followed by a lady with short grey hair, the young blonde she'd met last night and the man she recognized as Daryl.

The man with the kind eyes walks slowly over to her and sits down in the chair across from. "Hello, my name is Rick." He introduces himself then points to the lady with gray hair. "This is Carol and you've already met Beth and Daryl." she nods then gives him a curious look. "Daryl says he's already told you our story so you have a pretty good idea about who we are. He also told us how he and Michonne found you and I'm awfully sorry you had to go through all that." the girl looks down, closing her eyes while remembering her past. Rick places a gentle hand on her own, causing her to look up. "I assure you you're safe here. We look out for each other. We've all been through hell, even before this whole mess started." He looks to Carol and Darol. "Some more than others. But I assure you, unless it's to yank you out of harms way, nobody is going to lay a hand on you. Understand?"

The girl looks straight ahead, not knowing how to process this sudden change of environment. She realizes she's crying then quickly wipes away. Rick gives her a sympathetic look then turns serious again. "I only have three major questions that I need answered. Daryl said you're not quite up to talking yet so we came up with something else." He nods to Beth who holds up a spiral notebook and a pencil.

"I thought since you don't want to speak yet, you could write down your answers. That way, we at least have some way of communicating with you." Beth explains as she hands the tools to the girl.

"Think we can compromise with this for now?" Rick asks. The girl hesitates at first but then nods. "Good. Are you ready?" she nods again and he flips the notebook to the first page revealing the three major questions which he reads off after instructing to write down her answers.

_"How many walkers have you killed?" _he asks first.

She thinks for a moment then writes down an answer. "_Too many to remember." _Her answer says then gives Rick a nervous look.

"It's alright. That goes for the rest of us too. The more experienced the better." he assures.

Next question. _"How many people have you killed?"_

She stares at the answer for a long time with tears in her eyes. She takes a deep breath then swallows as she writes down her answer. _"Five. My mother, two sisters, my husband and daughter."_

Rick gives her a curious look. He looks into her eyes and softly asks, _"Why?"_

Tears flow down her cheeks as she shakily writes down her answer. _"I'm a bad person."_

"I don't believe that." he says softly and she looks up with red rimmed eyes. "I don't believe that one bit. What happened?"

Tear drops splatter onto the page as she writes out her explanation. _"We were leaving Atlanta when we got overrun. I was in the car with my daughter waiting on my husband. The herd came out of nowhere. I panicked and drove off. I saw him get eaten in the mirror." _She stops to take a shaky breath. _"I met up with my sisters and went to my parent's house and hid mostly in the basement. My oldest sister died because I gave my daughter the last piece of bread. She took the blame and was beat to death for it. Three months later, my mother and youngest sister were outside playing with my daughter. I was upstairs when my father came in and yelled at me to lock the doors and go to the basement. I asked him if they were inside and he said yes. They weren't. I heard them screaming and I tried to get past my father but he knocked me out. When I woke up, everything was quiet…no one was left. It was my fault. I killed them."_

As Rick reads her explanation, his eyes fill up with tears then hands the notebook to the others who either gasp or clench their fists. "This wasn't your fault." He says sadly. She shakes her head then looks away guiltily. Rick leans forward and in a stern voice, he gets her attention. "Listen to me. You did what you had to do in a moment of panic. It wasn't your fault you got overrun and the accidents with the rest of your family, that wasn't you. That was your father. That was murder. That doesn't fall back on you, do you understand me?"

She stares at him with a sad expression then takes the notebook and writes another note. _"My sisters argued that it wasn't safe there but I wanted to go back for Mom. If we hadn't gone back for her, they'd still be alive. I knew what he was like, how dangerous he was. That was my fault. My stupid wishful thinking."_

"You made a call. Sometimes what seems to be the right call isn't always spot on. I know how that feels. I've made plenty of them. But you went back for your family, for your mom. I don't know your family but I'm sure if you went back after knowing it wasn't safe because of your mother, you must have been close to her." He says then grabs her hand as she begins to tear up again. "I don't blame you. Nobody here does. As far as I'm concerned, your slate with us is clean."

A small sob escapes her lips as she buries her face into her hands and cries. Rick squeezes her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her while the rest of the group watch her in sympathy. However, Daryl is more pissed off than ever. That scumbag has torn her up more emotionally than physically. He can't imagine the immense pain and burden that she must carry every day. Not to mention, this is probably the first time someone has ever told her it wasn't her fault. It bothered Daryl to no end.

After a few moments, Rick rubbed her back and she finally stopped crying. She looked up at him and gave him a sad but grateful look. Rick knew she'd need time to heal but at least this was the beginning. "One more thing that I'd like to know. None of us know your name…could you write that down for us?"

The young woman stares at him for a long time before taking the notebook and writes down a series of words then hands it back to Rick. His face goes white.

_"Bitch. Stupid girl. It…the list goes on and on. Take your pick."_

His eyebrows furrow together as she gives him a bitter look then turns away. Rick doesn't quite know what to say as he passes it around to the others. All of them stare at him in disbelief. Carol covers her mouth, blinking back tears while Beth just stares in disbelief, this lifestyle being completely new to her.

However, while the rest of them turn white, Daryl turns red with rage. As he reads the words, he can't hold back the fury any more. Carol gives him a worried look as he begins to pace. His nostrils are flaring, breathing heavily before he loses it and throws the notebook hard against the wall creating a loud banging noise. The young woman jumps looks at Daryl in surprise. He stares at her angrily and stomps over to him. Carol tries to calm him but he yanks his arm away and looks at the girl. "This is bullshit!" he yells then rips the page out of the book and shreds it to pieces.

"Daryl," Rick warns while the girl stares at him with wide eyes.

"To hell with this!" he yells again but this time his voice cracks as he looks her in the eye. He holds up the shredded pieces in his hands. "This ain't you. These filthy, worthless, bullshit names, they ain't what your loved ones called ya by. Open your eyes! Your asshole sperm donor ain't here anymore. So get used to it." he snaps then storms out of the cell.

The girl stares where he left with her mouth slightly open and shaking. She stands up and picks up the notebook that's now bent in several places. Rick sighs then runs a hand through his hair. "Oh boy," he whispers. "I'm sorry about that. Daryl…he's been through a lot. He usually doesn't show his emotions and when he does, he doesn't handle it well." He looks at Carol then motions towards the exit. "Carol, could you…"

Carol nods in understanding then wanders off in the direction Daryl stomped off to. She finds him outside brutally killing walkers along the fence. Glenn, who's on guard at the tower, steps down and curiously walks over to Carol. "What's his problem? He stormed out here, grabbed the crowbar and started going at it. I haven't seen him this pissed off in a while."

Carol watches Daryl in pity as he kills walkers at a fast speed, grunting and huffing as he goes. "He finally met someone with a past that mirrors his own and who's tragedies are ones that no one should have to go through." she says sadly then explains what happened.

Glenn's eyes turn sad then looks over at Daryl. "That's rough." He mumbles softly.

Carol nods then pats Glenn on the shoulder and walks across the yard to Daryl. The loud growling of the zombies make it hard for her to get his attention but after she starts getting louder and louder, she realizes he's flat out ignoring her. She gets closer, grabs his arm and he whips around angrily, thick nasty walker blood all over his face. "WHAT?!" he growls at her.

"Stop it, Daryl. You need to calm down!" she yells at him above the noise.

"Oh I'm calm, I'm fuckin' peachy." He scoffs sarcastically then stabs another walker between the eyes.

"Daryl, we need to talk about it. What you did in there…that was wrong." She says.

He whips around and stomps over to her. "What I did was wrong? Did you not read the bullshit going on in there? That was wrong!" he turns around and stabs another walker. "This." Stab. "Stupid." Stab. "Fuckin'." Stab. "World" Stab. "Has gone to." Stab. "Hell!" Stab. He runs out of breath, sinking to his knees as he slays the last walker. Carol looks at him sympathetically as she walks over and kneels down next to him. "You didn't see it." he says more calmly. "What he did to her…he throw his own damn child out a window…beat the shit out of her…nearly killed her. I…I see it every time I close my eyes. We nearly made it out of there. Now knowing the rest of what she went through I can't help but wonder. What did we rescue her from?"

Tears prick at Carol's eyes as she places a hand on his shoulder. "You gave her a chance, Daryl. A chance to not live in pain anymore. That's the chance we've been given. And it wasn't easy but look how you've come. You're strong now." She squeezes his shoulder. "Now you have the chance to help someone else. I hate that anybody would have go through what she did but she's alive and here now. Give her the chance to live. Don't give up on her."

He looks up at her with glazed over eyes. "I hope she's not too far gone to be helped." He confides then heaves himself up and walks to the other end where another group of walkers have gathered up.

Several hours later, Daryl alone sharpening a knife, thinking over life as a shadow casts over his room. "I'm sorry" A soft and unfamiliar yet beautiful voice fills the room. He looks up and sees the young woman standing in the doorway with melancholy eyes. She looks down at her feet. "I'm sorry for what I wrote earlier." She says then turns to walk away. Daryl is so shocked that he can't find the right words. "Amelia." She says, snapping him out of his shock.

"My name is Amelia."


	5. Hold On to Me

**_Thank you soooo much for the support so far :) I really do appreciate it as I didn't know how this story was going to go or if I was going to finish it but the support and reviews do encourage me to do so. Sorry this chapter is short, its kind of a filler chapter. But if you guys have suggestions or stuff you want to see, this is writing as I go so I will take suggestions :)_**

The two broken people stare at each other, not completely sure what to do. Amelia wrings her hands together, a nervous habit of hers and looks at the ground. "I'm sorry I refused to tell you my name before and I'm sorry I angered you." She closes her eyes and sighs. "You put your life on the line for me and I repay you and your group with rude messages." And with that, she's gone. It takes a moment for Daryl to process that was real.

About an hour later of thinking about Amelia's words, he decides to go to her cell and try to talk. On the way there, he runs into Rick. "Did she talk to ya?" I ask him.

"A little bit. She apologized over and over and finally told us her name." he says with a sigh and places his hands on his hips. "She's messed up pretty good, Daryl."

"Ain't we all." Daryl mumbles sarcastically. "Are ya gonna give me a lecture too?"

Rick shakes his head. "No. I think you did what everybody wanted to."

"Figures, that's usually the case." He scoffs then crosses his arms.

"Well, not everybody has the nerve you do, Daryl." Rick pauses and gives him a look. "You shook her up pretty bad though."

Daryl raises his eyebrows. "Got her to talk, right?" he asks with an attitude.

"Fair enough. What do you think we should do?" he asks suddenly.

Daryl shrugs. "Not much we can do. You don't get over that shit in one day."

"Guess you're right. I suppose the only thing we can do now is wait and see what happens."

"Anything else you want?" Daryl asks, suddenly becoming anxious.

Rick looks at him with curious eyes. "Yeah. I want to know if you're ok?"

Daryl gives him an 'are you kidding me?' look, knowing real well that Rick knows he ain't the one to talk about his feelings much. Rick smirks then holds up his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright. I know, not much of a talker either."

"Think my stunt earlier explained how I felt perfectly clear."

"Yeah, it did. That's why I'm asking." Rick retorts. "Daryl, I know you've been through hell and you've refused to talk about it to anybody and that's fine. But now you've been faced with a mirror. Kinda hard to push away those thoughts when you got someone exactly like you here."

Daryl rolls his eyes and looks away. "Carol went through the same thing and got through it. Didn't affect me none then. Why should she be any different?"

"Carol got through it, you're right. But then again she only went through a few years of it. She found her voice and her strength. You and Amelia have been dealing with this all your life." He points out.

Daryl throws his hands up in the air. "What do you want me to do, Rick? Sit around and play shrink?" He asks impatiently. "You don't know shit, do ya? You can't fix someone like this! She had her chance. She had a husband, a lil' girl…a life! And it all got snatched away from her and then here I come, tryin' to be the hero. When all I've done is saved her so that she can relive that shit over and over again."

Rick's eyes soften. "Daryl, you did the right thing. You don't know what's going on inside her head. She might be really need someone right now."

Daryl walks around Rick. "Then find somebody who can help her." He says over his shoulder.

As Daryl decides to take care of one more person before this shrink thing got of hand, he continues on to his original destination. Who people think they were? Just because he'd gone through the same things she did didn't mean he was able to miraculously heal her of her past. He needed to make that clear to everyone, including her.

As he approached her cell, she going through some clothes that Beth and Maggie had given her. "Ya ain't rude. You were honest." Daryl says, announcing his presence. She turns around to face him. He stands there with a stern look on his face. "And I ain't mad at ya. I'm mad as hell at the asshole who did that to you. Selfish prick, wish I could kill him all over again." She gives him a confused look as he vents. "My point is, I was glad that you're ok but now, after hearing the shit you went through, I don't whether I did ya a favor or not. Either way, I'm sorry." And with that, he didn't wait for her response as he trudged his way back to his cell.

But not even five minutes later, there she was standing in front of him. "We can keep going back and forth or when we can settle this conversation here." Amelia says. Daryl looks up and catches her teary gaze. "There are two ways I don't want to die. Being eaten alive and die at the hands of my own father but if I were to be honest with you, I'd rather be eaten." She huffs as she switched her weight to her other foot. "He killed my family, Daryl. I almost died because I lost my cool and screamed at him. I don't know how much you saw but that's why he threw me out the window. That's why he beat the shit out of me which doesn't say much because you breathe wrong and it set him off." She takes a few steps closer. "You saved me from two of my worst fears and I know I have an awful road ahead of me and I know I didn't exactly gratitude at first which I am dreadfully sorry for but please, don't ever regret dragging me out of there."

Daryl, hearing the sincerity in her words, nods in understanding. "I won't regret it as long as ya don't blame yourself anymore. I hate that shit." He says with a small smirk.

She looks down nervously with a small smile. "So I've heard." She chuckles softly. "I might as well admit this before you see this part of me again. I'm not well. You'll more than likely see me blame myself again and sink into depression. I'll say things that are completely demented and it'll probably scare the shit out of you." She stares at the wall, recalling an unknown memory then turning back to Daryl. "Right now, I'm numb. I hasn't really hit me yet but I know it will. It always does. And I just wanted to at least say thank you before I say something I regret again."

Daryl, not sure what to say, looks away. He feels her presence come closer. "You said everything was going to be ok...prove it to me." she whispers.

He looks up at her and notices the tears gathering in her eyes. "I don't know how." He answers honestly.

"Please, don't let me give up. My head is clear right now but it won't always be. I'm asking you this because you were the only person who had the nerve to yell at me. I know that sounds crazy but it was the only thing that snapped me out of it." Her hands tremble and at first Daryl had thought she was crazy but when he looked into her eyes, he could tell she was completely sane. "I can't let him win, Daryl. I can't, he's already taken too much. Please, you've saved my life once, please do it again because I…I can't do it on my own."

The desperation in her voice was adamant and heart breaking. The scary fact was, he knew exactly what she was talking about. He knew what she was talking about when she pleaded him to not let her father win. He'd been there, done that, needed people to talk him out of the crazy things he said and somehow, he was eventually able to handle his own. Maybe, if he could do it, she could too. "You're gonna be fine." He promised, more meaning going into his words.

A small gasp escapes Amelia's lips as she practically throws herself into Daryl's arms. He was caught off guard by it so much that he didn't return at first but eventually, out of pity, he lightly put his arms around her and let her cry. A few minutes later, she backs up quickly and gives him a horrified look. "I'm sorry." She apologizes as her cheeks flush a deep shade of crimson. "I'm sorry." She mumbles as she quickly leaves his cell.

And once again, she's left him completely speechless.

Daryl goes about his day the same way it'd normally go. He decided to go hunting today as he was sick of being within the prison walls. He had plenty of time to think and reflect on the past few weeks and though there was no purpose to it, he couldn't get it off his mind. He couldn't get_ her _off his mind. He found it ironic and completely confusing how'd she'd actually asked him to yell at her if she acted up. Wasn't exactly a request you hear every day.

As he shook himself from his thoughts, he shot the wild turkey that had been roaming the woods and made himself focus on getting back to skin it and cook it up for supper.

The others busied themselves with normal chores and introducing themselves to Amelia. She was in a better mood and the others, such as Glenn, who did a good job at cheering her up and even making her laugh a little. Carol was good company as she introduced a few of the young girls she'd taken under her wing. Carl offered her a few of his comic books as she showed interest in them. Rick gave her a tour of the place and showed her where to go, where to stay away from. She even found pleasant company in the presence of baby Judith and Beth.

The only person that didn't visit her was Michonne, who was still shaken up over the whole thing. She avoided Amelia like the plague for whenever she looked at her, she saw the horrible man beating her relentlessly and that haunted her day and night. She was ready to face her yet and she wasn't sure she ever would be.

After a long day, Daryl finally settled in for the night and quickly drifted off to sleep. However, his sleep was soon interrupted by a loud scream. He shot up in his bed and ripped the blankets off of him. He searched the hallways, looking for a walker or any other threat but the only thing he found was darkness.

"Ahhh! STOP IT! Leave her alone!" Amelia's voice screamed frantically. Daryl ran to her cell and his heart sunk at the sight of the young woman who was sweating profusely and tossing and turning in her sleep wildly. "No!" She screamed over and over again. He stood there frozen as he watched the night terrors wrecking her. When he finally snapped out of it, he hurries over to her side and tries shaking her awake. However, this backfires when she involuntarily punches him in the nose.

"Shit!" he curses loudly as he flies back and rubs his nose. He glares at her but then immediately regrets doing so when he sees her face contorted in pain and anguish.

"Daddy, please stop it!" she cries out the same way he'd heard her the day he found her.

He takes a steady breath before going over and holding her arms down, which makes her scream louder. "No! Please stop, please stop!" she begs through whatever nightmare she was facing. She struggles against him wildly and it's all he can do to keep her from hurting herself.

Finally, he takes her advice from earlier, takes her by the shoulders and roughly shakes her. "Amelia! Wake up!" he nearly screams.

Amelia finally woke up, gasping for air and in a panic. She looks into Daryl's concerned eyes for a few moments and then breathes a sigh of relief. Though she knows he's totally uncomfortable with it, she buries her face into his shoulder. He stiffens for a moment but then to her surprise, he wraps his arms around her and holds her tightly. It's then that she can't hold her tears back any longer.

Everything within Daryl was telling him that this was way out of his expertise and comfort zone but his heart told him otherwise. His heart told him he had to be there for her. It told him he secretly wished he had someone like this when he was going through this. Most of all, his heart told him he couldn't leave and whether or not he actually liked it, he knew she couldn't make it without him. Rick had a point. Carol had gone through this for a while but she wasn't raised around it and she bounced back fairly quickly. Daryl was the only one who knew what it was like to take one step wrong and then pay for it for days.

As he held her, he counted all the times his father laid a hand on him and his brother. He remembered the fear, the pain and the undying anger towards him. Daryl knew she was right. She couldn't let him win and he'd be damned if he'd let him win either. Not on his watch. He knew he was in for one hell of a ride but they'd get through it…some way…somehow.

Soon, Amelia's tears became scarce and then nonexistent but she didn't move and neither did Daryl. "I'm scared." She whispered into his chest, sounding very much like a child.

There was only a few words that came to Daryl's mind.

"You're gonna be ok."

* * *

**_Also! I have another WD story called Dreams That Shouldn't Come True. Take a look! :)_**


End file.
